Brotherhood
by Keth89
Summary: More than 10 years have passed since the First Wizarding War started. Even with the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix breathing down their necks, the Death Eaters are targeting wizards and muggles alike. A crimewave like no other hit London as Voldemort sent his followers to commit the most hideous crimes; but were all the Death Eaters as heartless?
1. Devoured by Fire

Hello, everybody! Thank you very much for giving this story a chance. I'd really appreciate if you could give me some feedback to keep improving it. I'm not an English native speaker so please tell me any mistakes you see in order to correct them.

Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: The world and some of the characters that appear in this story are property of J.K. Rowling.

 **Devoured by Fire**

Nicholas observed with silent fascination as the red, orange and yellow from the flames mixed themselves with the cold colours of the night. He found the scene mesmerizing, like if a _veela_ were whispering one of their alluring songs on his ears. To think that he would find beauty witnessing such a despicable act. That mere realization made him look away.

"You're going to miss the fun, Nick!" commented Albert cheerily while patting his back.

Another of his companions yelled something offensive and the rest laughed hysterically, drowning the shrieks of the _muggles_ that where still inside the burning building. The same screams which didn't bother Nicholas before and now were painfully cutting through his ears. While those horrible sounds strangled his conscience, one of the others raised his wand and summoned the _Dark Mark_ in the sky. A new colour tainted that cursed night and, with sudden subtlety, the scene showed Nicholas its true colours: where there was once beauty, now he could only see a repulsive ugliness; an ugliness that he was part of.

"We blew up that f****** orphanage for good, mate! Look at that! God, I wish I could have done this ages ago. Those _muggles_ deserved it." said Albert.

"There were kids in there too, you know."

"So what? Bullies and low-lifes, nothing else."

"Not all of them. We were not like that when we were little; when we were there."

Albert turned his eyes from the building and looked at him. As always, his face betrayed him: he was suspicious.

"Nick, are you having second thoughts about this?"

Nicholas knew that question was coming and yet he couldn't think of an answer before his colleague uttered it. Of course he was having second thoughts. They were killing people, innocent people. Those _muggles_ , those kidsweren't like the bureaucrats from the Ministry they attacked before. Was him the only one who realized that? They were not part of that war. Nothing would be gained with their deaths. It was nothing more than senseless murder. And yet...

"No, of course not", answered Nicholas with an emotionless voice that didn't sound like his own.

"That's my Nick!, said Albert with a grin. "F***, you got me scared for a sec there, mate. If I had had to report you to the Dark Lord— "

"The Dark Lord doesn't have time to bother about your unfounded suspicions, Davies. But please, do try to speak with him: He might finally free us from your company" said someone on their left with a soft, contained tone.

Severus Snape walked up to them calmly, his black eyes fixed on Albert, eagerly awaiting his reaction. Nicholas shivered when he saw Snape approaching them while a thought crossed his mind: what would happen if Snape was the one reporting his doubts to the _Dark Lord_? There was no one He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named trusted more than Severus Snape, not even Malfoy or Lestrange.

"F*** off, _Snivellus_!"

"An old nickname? Is that the best you can do, Davies? I guess it is true that some people's minds don't grow beyond their teenage years. Or maybe is something else... perhaps you idolize Potter so much that you want to talk like him."

Albert took a step back and pointed Snape with his wand. There were some gasps followed by soft laughters among the other Death Eaters.

"I should hex you right here for saying that, Snape! Are you accusing me of being a spy?!"

"Easy, Davies. Even though I'd appreciate the opportunity to make you levitate upside-down for a bit, we should get moving. We have spent too much time here."

"He is right, Albert. The _aurors_ or the _Order_ might come if we stay here" said Nicholas while putting his hand over his friend's stretched out arm.

Albert looked at him for a second before lowering his wand with a menacing groan; he joined the other _Death Eaters_ , getting as far away from Snape as possible.

"You should control your _friend_ a bit better, Fawley" whispered Snape to Nicholas' ear so that no one could hear him.

"He is not my _friend_ , Prince. At least not the kind of friend you're implying."

"Whatever. I don't really care about who you share your lonely nights with."

"As it should be. You were right before: We should get moving" said Nicholas, but Snape stopped him when he tried to move.

"Don't let them see your hesitation, Nick."

They looked at each others eyes for a brief moment. Nicholas lost himself on those dark, profound eyes he had known so well an eternity ago. He was afraid of what he'd find in them, of how much his old friend would have changed during all those years. However, while his memories of their years together in Hogwarts came back one by one, he found that feeling of wordless understanding that he didn't expect to find. A memory of better times had just came to life.

Snape turned around and Nicholas wondered if he saw something unexpected in his eyes too.

"You shouldn't call me Prince again. I'm not the Half-Blood Prince anymore."

"What? You finally realized how pretentious it sounds?"

Both laughed softly. It was as if the years hadn't passed. As if they were still on their shared-dormitory in Hogwarts. As if she...

A sudden _crack_ broke the spell and brought them back to the crude reality again. They were surrounded by a group of robed figures that had appeared from the nothingness of the night. Nicholas wanted to warn his comrades, but he only had time to bend down before countless spells filled the air over his head.

Snape was right as always: they came for them.


	2. Devoured by Hate

Thank you for all of you who read the story! And thank you VERY much to the people who decided to follow/favourite this little fanfic: You made me REALLY happy! This update is going to be way longer than the previous one because I'm going on a trip and I won't be able to post anything next week. I really hope you enjoy this and don't forget to tell me if you see any mistakes!

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter is property of J.K. Rowling.

* * *

 **DEVOURED BY HATE**

Nicholas rolled to a dumpster and used is as a barricade just in time to avoid a pretty nasty spell aimed at him. He didn't know where Snape was: he lost sight of him as soon as the fight started. He tried to asses the situation with a quick look over his refuge, but it was useless: he had to rapidly bend down again in order to avoid a burst of red sparks. He decided to take advantage of his improvised shelter the best way he could: sticking out his wand through one of the sides of the dumpster enough time to throw spells in all directions without really knowing, or caring, who was hit by them. The sounds around him filled his ears and made his imagination run wild whenever he heard a familiar voice screaming or pleading for its life.

Chaos had seized that discreet alley of London.

In an attempt to take down one of those invisible opponents, Nicholas' wand was hit by an awfully well-aimed _Expelliarmus_ that made it fly away from his hand. He cursed his luck with a swear that would have made Albert proud while he saw his wand flying and landing on the floor. Even though it was not far from where he was, he would need to abandon his refuge if he wanted to get it back. He tried to calm himself down enough to consider his possibilities, yet the aimless spells that flew over him made him realize that thinking was not really an option.

He leapt on as far as he could and reached his wand; as he tried to run back to his previous position, he had to avoid a kick that an _auror_ who had got too close threw at him. When Nicholas tried to curse his assailant, the _auror_ grabbed both his wrists, hampering his aim and making his spell hit the floor instead. An unexpected head-butt came right after and Nicholas tasted the flavor of blood even before bleeding; a pain that was soon overshadowed by surprise when he saw her face. Of all the unknows _aurors_ out there, of all the nameless enemies, destiny decided to make Nicholas confront the only woman whose face he would have recognized anywhere: it was his little sister, Audrey.

Nicholas wrestled with her in a desperate attempt to free his hands. When did she became so strong? Audrey looked at him with an arrogant grin on her face. _I'm not going to let you go_ , said her without even uttering a word. Suddenly, the brick wall on their right exploded when it was hit with a stray spell and both siblings ended up on the floor due to the expansive wave.

The world became silent.

Nicholas looked around without understanding what was happening, his mind too numb to understand. Bright sparks flew through the alley without a sound. Men and women fell to the floor around him, dying without a last cry. He saw his sister knocked down on the floor too. Nicholas kept looking around, trying to process the morbid scene he was witnessing. He saw it then: Among the corpses, among all those unrecognizable lifeless bulks, he recognized Albert's face, way paler than it had ever been before, and with his blue eyes open, frozen on death. It was then, lying down while staring at death itself, when Nicholas understood that the mission was long over.

He found his wand, which had fallen off his hand with the explosion, amidst the debris and closed his eyes without even standing up, in an attempt to not draw attention to himself. He visualized the alley where he wanted to go as clearly as he could while the world around him recovered its usual volume and let himself go, but it took him too long: he felt a hand firmly grabbing his leg while he was Disappareting.

Nicholas kicked his pursuer's face as soon as they apparated. He saw a couple of glasses falling to the ground. They were just a few blocks from the orphanage, but it was the best he could do in that situation. A sudden and excruciating pain made Nicholas' body contort uncontrollably when he tried to hex his opponent. He had been to slow once again. It wasn't the first time that Nicholas felt the spell _Crucio_ on his flesh, but that time was different: the pain was even more unbearable than when the Dark Lord himself had used the spell on him.

Audrey pointed him with her wand while she scrubbed her bloody face. Her black hair was shorter than Nick had ever seen, while her face still retained some traces of the young woman he was the last time they saw each other. But, although he could still see her sister in that face, there was something in her eyes that Nicholas found terrifying. His body shivered once again: He felt as if someone was breaking his bones one by one.

"Audrey... please..."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Don't you dare to do that!"

"Audrey... let... explain..." said him in a thin audible voice.

"I won't let you convince me. No, not about this. You're guilty! Guilty! You don't deserve my pity. No more of those filthy Slytherin lies."

Nicholas couldn't think; every time his sister pronounced the spell his mind blanked out. He didn't know how many times he had to endure the spell, or why his body refused to pass out. There was a moment when he realized that his own sister was going to kill him. That's what he saw in her eyes before: The determination of someone who had made a choice; who had made the most impossible choice there is. He was tempted of asking her to do it, to finish his life once and for all; he might have done it if he could have talked.

"Why?! Why aren't you fighting back?! You're better than this. Do not let me win!" yelled Audrey.

Nicholas couldn't look at her, his own eyes filled with tears caused by the pain, but he knew she was crying. If he could have peek at her face even just for an instant, he would have seen it twisted by both agony and guilt. The beautiful face of the little sister he swore to protect was broken beyond repair and he was responsible. So many important promises broken.

"Look at what You-Know-Who made us, Nick. Is it really worth it? Is this really what you wanted? Answer me!"

The grueling pain left his body as a welcome calmness filled its place. Anxiety, remorse and all unpleasant feelings he had felt before disappeared, freeing his mind from their harm for the first time in a very long time. _Is this really what you wanted?_ asked a subtle voice that echoed softly inside his mind. He strived not to answer that question, because he knew that the moment he did the darkness and pain of what he had done would fill him again, feeding his remorse once again. Nicholas recognized the spell her sister had used on him the moment he felt the peacefulness he craved for every day. Voldemort made sure that most of his Death Eaters were capable of resisting that spell. He wanted to remain in that state for the rest of his life; he wondered for a boundless moment if there was a way to let himself go, to abandon his conscience to the sweet forgetfulness of the _Imperius_ curse. _Answer me!_ demanded the voice with delicate harshness. His time was up. Darkness call was as unavoidable as it had always been.

Nicholas raised his wand and disarmed her sister with an _Expelliarmus_ spell _._ Audrey didn't attempt to get her wand back, bemused with what had just happened. They looked each other on the eye for the first time since their fight started; Nick hoped to find on his sister's eyes some trace of that unconditional love she once felt for him, yet he found nothing more than disgust and despise.

"What? You didn't find what you expected with that ability of yours, brother? I've never been able to _see_ a person's soul, as you do, but I'm quite sure that mine must not look too pretty now, does it?" said Audrey wryly.

"I'm so—"

"Don't you dare to say that you're sorry, you bastard! Sorry for what? For killing our parents? Is that what you're SO sorry for? I should have seen it coming. That a mere couple of _muggles_ would never be good enough to be the parents of the heir of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Fawley."

"Audrey, I..." murmured him.

"Kill me, Nicholas. I'd rather die than hear your pitiful excuses. Because there's no justification for what you did; NONE. You're just a poor excuse for a human being, brother, like your vicious _friends_ back there."

Audrey's words went through Nicholas' broken heart and destroyed it once and for all. He felt light-headed while the remnants of his world crumbled around him. He knew, deep inside, that her sister would never forgive him; not unless he explained properly what had happened: how he fought fiercely against their adoptive _muggle_ father when he threatened to kick them out of his house, sick and tired of the magical world he got himself dragged to the moment they adopted them. How he, Nicholas, begged him to let at least Audrey stay, knowing too well that his sister would not be able to endure their hate. And how everything went to hell and beyond when their father pointed a gun to him, shot their mother when she tried to intercede on her children's behalf and ended up dead when a furious Nicholas' used the _Avada Kedavra_ on him.

Nicholas could have explained all that to her a long time ago, but he decided not to. Because that veiled truth would make her hate him. That cruel veiled truth would distance them. That horrible veiled truth would...

A sudden spell hit Nicholas and made him step back a bit until he could regain his stance again. A couple of men appeared from behind Audrey, both with their wands raised and ready to fight. One of them, black hair and a mischievous grin, attacked him without even stopping, while the other, young but with some visible grey hair, asked the woman if she was hurt with a concerned look on his eyes. When the woman assured him that she was alright, the caring man joined his partner and both attacked Nicholas with the precision and teamwork that only deep friendship could grant. Their souls were like one. Nicholas had never seen something so pure and marvellous as that. Their matching movements, their precise spells... It was like confronting a single person who had just divided its body in two. He tried really hard to keep the hectic rhythm his opponents set, but he quickly realized that he was going to be overtaken sooner or later. The man with the greying hair disarmed him and his partner made Nicholas fly backwards with a pretty potent spell.

"Nice one, Moony!"

"You didn't need to make him fly like that, Padfoot! He was already disarmed."

"You should stop being so good and caring, Rem. Someone is going to take advantage of that one day." berated Sirius with a grin.

"Oh, you mean like you do?"

"S-Shut up, you git! I'd make you pay for that comment later."

"I'd look forward to that." said Moony while he snickered.

"Strain him, fast! He's going to Disapparate!"

Sirius and Remus acted almost instantly when they heard Audrey's warning, but it was too late: Nicholas had already disappeared.


End file.
